BOOK REVIEW: ANGELS AND DEMONS DAN BROWN

ATRIA PUBLICATION-2004 NAME: - NIKUL G MORADIYA MBA, SEM-2, G H PATEL Post Graduate Institute Of Business Management PAGES-639

Angels and Demons is a story between science and religion. All characters and situations described in the novel are imaginary, but history, locations and sculptures are factual. The whole story shaping around Vatican city, the Rome, so first of all be familiar with few terms related to Christianity. 1. Conclave: official election of the holy pop 2. Prefereti: candidates, most likely to succeed the holy throne 3. Camerlengo: a person who holds the all power of office of the pop until the election of new pop 4. Illuminati: the secret organization came into existence in 16 th century, comprised of mathematicians, biologists, chemists and artists to protect themselves against from the curse of the church.

Angels & Demons introduces the character of Robert Langdon, professor of religious iconology and art history at Harvard University. As the novel begins, he's awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call from Maximilian Kohler, the director of CERN, the world's largest scientific research facility in Geneva, Switzerland. One of their top physicists had been murdered, with his chest branded with the word "Illuminati." Since Langdon is an expert on the ancient secret society known as the Illuminati, he's asked to help solve the murder. A high tech plane transports Langdon from Massachusetts to Switzerland in a little more than an hour. The murder victim is Leonardo Vetra. Not only is he one of the world's leading physicists, he's a Catholic priest. He's a priest who has adopted a daughter, Vittoria, who is also a scientist at CERN. Vetra and his daughter were using the world's largest particle accelerator to create antimatter, and then suspend the antimatter properly in canisters so that it doesn't interact with matter. If a canister is removed from the electrical system which keeps
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the matter and antimatter separated, then backup batteries will serve the same purpose for 24 hours. When those 24 hours expire, the explosion will take place to vanish the whole Vatican City. Antimatter is believed to be the god particle, from which the whole universe has been created billions of years ago. Vetra's murder, though, allows one of the canisters to be stolen. The canister is quickly found on a security camera in Vatican City, with its LEDs counting down the time until the batteries run out. The security camera, however, is not at its place, and to find from the whole Vatican is a impossible like task. Langdon and Vittoria Vetra are quickly sent off to Rome and Vatican City, to help find the canister and return it to CERN before it explodes at midnight. Not only does the canister threaten to destroy Vatican City, but with the recent death of the Pope, the cardinals of the Catholic Church are all within the city for the conclave to choose the new pope. They are all about to be locked within the Sistine Chapel where, according to church law, they must remain until a new pope is chosen. They are awaiting the preferiti, the four cardinals from four different European countries who are the preferred candidates to become the new pope. While Langdon and Vittoria are trying to convince the captain of the Swiss Guard and the camerlengo, the Pope's chamberlain who leads the church until the new pope is named, that the antimatter bomb is real; a phone call is received from a man who claims to be from the Illuminati. He has the four cardinals, which he will murder one by one, and then allow the bomb to destroy Vatican City, which houses not only the church hierarchy, but also its possessions and wealth. He has no demands; his only wish is the destruction of the Catholic Church in retribution for the church's treatment of scientists and the Illuminati over the centuries. Camerlengo ordered to stop the conclave and evacuate the Sistine chapel. Antimatter is inside the Rome but it is too difficult to find a small cylinder from the whole city. Roman army, roman police, Swiss guard, Sniffer dogs, latest searching devices, deadliest weapons and black Alfa Romeo cars rushing through the roman streets in search of prefereti and antimatter. Langdon and Vittoria Vetra are in a race against time. They dig through archives and ancient mysteries to find clues, which also require an extensive background in art history and religious symbology. The two of them are constantly one step behind the Illuminati, and once it's clear that the Swiss Guard and Vatican City have been penetrated by the ancient society, they don't know whom to trust. This leads them through churches, fountains, crypts, forgotten passages, secret passages, and catacombs. Death stalks them at every turn, in one form or another.
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Angels & demons is a story of just few hours, but Dan Brown has depicted centuries long history during this few hours is such a great art. Story also reveals great conflicts between religion and science. It takes readers back in time of the great scientist Galileo and artists like, Bernini, Michelangelo and Raphael Senti. Dan brown has described the churches and sculptures in such a way that readers feel themselves fully aware of each and every corner of Vatican and Rome. The heart of the story moves around the four churches which are related to four basic elements (earth, air, fire and water). Apart from it author has also let the reader to visit the worlds most favorite tourism spots named, st. peters square, st. peters basilica, and the Sistine chapel. One of the most exciting visits is that of Vatican archives. Vatican archives contain the worlds most sacred books. It also contains books and journals dating back to 16th century or old. The description of Vatican archives is such a great that apart from thrill and suspense readers can get also a good amount of knowledge. Dan brown also makes the readers aware of(not well known) lows and rituals related to Christianity. The facts revealed in story, definitely make readers astonish. In the end story put the readers in dilemma. Some characters in story believes that science and religion are complementary of each other while some other believes that science is too young to understand the religion and the god. In all a thrilling climax full of shocking facts and emotions make the readers feel an experience like rock n roll ride. The book angels & demons is an ultimate ride of imaginary and factual worlds simultaneously, with a full package of thrill, suspense, art, emotion and knowledge. Just grab a copy and find a comfortable chair, it will take you away of place and time.